Control mechanism for motor vehicles



y 4, 1943- G. E'. PORTER 2,318,258

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 16, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet1 hhhh INVENTOR z'lleri Z Brier:

y 1943- s. E. PORTER CQNTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 16,1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO QBZYAerZ Brier: ATTofi May 4, 1943 E.PORTER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 16, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 62]}4I'ZZB7'ZCI? BY I I ATTO Patented May 4,1943 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Gilbert E. Porter, MountClemens, Mich.

Application July 16,

9 Claims.

Thi invention relates to motor vehicles and particularly to controlmeans therefor and has for its principal object the provision of aconstruction wherein actuation of one control member of a motor vehiclemay be accompanied'by automatic actuation of one or more other controlmembers of a motor vehicle.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a construction inwhich the brake and clutch mechanism of a motor vehicle are so arrangedand interconnected that operation of one there of may be relied upon'toeffect operation of both thereof; the provision of control mechanism fora motor vehicle in which means are provided for effecting operation ofthe brakes and of the clutch of the motor vehicle, the two being sointerconnected that operation of one may be effected and automaticallyaccompanied by operation of the other, the accomplishment of theoperationof such other being entirely under the control and at the willof the vehicle operator; the provision of a construction as abovedescribed in which the connection between the brakes and clutch is soconstructed and arranged that an initial operation is accorded the onethereof before simultaneous operation of the other thereof follows; theprovision of a construction as above described in which means areprovided for effecting actuation of the clutch of the motor vehicle, andthe control mechanism for the clutch is so connected and inter-relatedwith the control mechanism for the brakes that an initial operatingmovement of the clutch is required 'as a-condition precedent tosimultaneous operation of the brakes therewith.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a controlmechanism for motor vehicles in which a force supplied to effectdis-engagement of the clutch thereof is further employed to effect acontrol of the transmission thereof; the provision of a construction asabove described including a fluid connection between a clutchcontrolling member and a clutch actuating member, the transmission beingprovided with fluid actuated control mechanism so constructed andarranged as to enable shifting of the transmission to be accomplished asan incident to the dis-engagement.of the clutch; the provision of aconstruction as above described in which the control of the shifting ofthe transmission is accomplished through the use of a follow-up valvemechanism selectively controllable by the operator of the vehicle; theprovision of a construction as above described in which an initialdisengaging movement ofthe clutch is a condition 1940, Serial No.345,801

precedent to shifting of the transmission through the clutch controllingmeans; and the provision of a construction as above described includinga novel form of pressure actuated means for controlling the shiftingmovements of the transmission.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a controlmechanism for a motor vehicle including a clutch, brakes and atransmission including a single control element operable to effectoperation of the clutch, brakes and shifting of the transmission; theprovision of a construction as above described in which initialactuation of the clutch in a dis-engaging direc-' tion is a conditionprecedent to actuation of the brakes and the shifting of thetransmission; and the provision of a construction as above described inwhich the operation of the brakes through said single control element isoptional and at the will of the operator.

Theabove being among the objects of the pres ent invention the sameconsists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of Wparts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, and then claimed,

having the above and other objects in view.

,, In the accompanying drawings which illustrate suitable embodiments ofthe present invention and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic side elevational view of a motorvehicle chassis of the rear engine type illustrated as being provided 3;with a control mechanism constructed and ar-- ranged in accordance withthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic illus-- tration of the controlmechanism employed in the motor vehicle chassis illustrated in Fig. 1;40 Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken axially through one of thetransmission control cylinders illustrated in Fig. 2 and showing theconstruction of the same in greater detail; 7

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary still further enlarged view of the piston andcentral portion of the cylinder illustrated in Fig. 3 to betterillustrate the 7 details of construction thereof;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on theline 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view takenthrough the control valve illustrated in Fig. M

2 in a plane perpendicular to the axis thereof;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary, partially sectioned side elevationalview of the motor 5 vehicle shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the applica- 3tion of a booster mechanism to the control pedal of the presentinvention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the controlelements at the upper end of the pedal of the construction shown in Fig.'7;

Fig. 9 is a more or less diagrammatic view illustrating simplemodifications of the present invention permitting simultaneous operationof the brakes and of the clutch of a motor vehicle but permitting theoperation of one to be divorced from the other at the will of theoperator.

Briefly stated the present invention provides a novel constructionwhereby operationof one control member of a motor vehicle by theoperator thereof may be relied upon to eifectoperation of one or moreother control members of the motor vehicle. The control memberthus-directly :under the control of the operator may be either that forthe brakes or the clutch and the secondary control member or membersoperated as a :result of the operation of the primary control member maybe the control member for the clutch or brakes respectively and/or thecontrol members for efiecting shifting of the transmission mechanism ofthe motor vehicle. In its preferred form the control element under thedirect control of the vehicle operator is the clutch controlling pedalwhich, in being operated, ajcits through'a fluid column to effectdisengaging movement :of

the vehicle clutch. By suitable arrangements made in accordance with thepresent invention the displacement of fluid insuchfluid column .may so brel upon to effect actuation of either the brake mech msm of the motorvehicle, zactuation of the transmission shifting mechanism :of the motorvehicle, or both.

Where such mechanism is employed to efieot operation of the brakingmechanism, means are preferably employed under the control {of thevehicle operator to render actuation of the brakes by such fluid columneffective or ineffective .at the will of the operator. is of particularadvantage in that the operator of a motor vehicle so equipped may, bythe use of one foot only, throw out theclutchof the vehicle and applythe brakes, thus leaving his other foot and both hands free tomanipulate the controls or other elements of the motor vehicle, afeature which has been proven of material advantage, for instance, wherea motor vehicle stalls while traveling up a relatively steep grade.

On the other hand the displacement of fluid in the column may beemployed for effecting shifting of the transmission of the vehiclethereby relieving the operator from the necessity of applying sufiicientpower through his arms to effect such shifting movement. While both theapplication of the brakes and the shifting of the transmission bydisplacement of the fluid column employed for disengaging the clutch mayobviously be used independently of one another, they may also be used inconjunction with each other in accordance with the practices of thepresent invention.

It is to be understood that the present invention is applicable to motorvehicles having their engines at the front, rear or in any otherlocation on thesame, the rear engine type being chosen for the purposeof illustration particularly for the reason that the present inventionparticularly lends itself to overcoming certain objectionable featuresin the control of rear engine drive motor vehicles as heretoforesuggested. Accordingly, referring now to the accompanying drawings andparticularly to Fig. 1, a motor vehicle of the rear engine type isillustrated. In the motor vehicle illustrated in Fig. 1 the vehicle isprovided with a chassis frame structure indicated generally at IUsupported through the intermediary of suitable springs (not shown) fromthe ground by front Wheels l2 and rear wheels M. An engine indicatedgenerally at 16 is mounted on the frame lil adjacent the rear endthereof and is provided with a suitable or conventional clutch enclosedwithin the clutch housing I8 and a speed change mechanism or othersuitable type of transmission mechanism contained within the housing 20..Supported by the clutch housing 18 is a lever 22 movement of whichcontrols the engagement or dis-engagement of the clutch in aconventional "manner and the transmission housing 20, as bestillustratedinFig. .2, supports a pair of levers 24 and 26,.respectively,movement of which controls the 'shifta'ble position of the transmissionin a conventionalmanner.

A steering gear indicated {generally at 728 lisrs'uitablysupported-mtheforward end of the frame 1.0 and carries a steering wheel 30 at its:upper end through movement of which the steerable iDOSition of thefront Wheels 12 .is accomplished in :a conventional manner. Immediatelybelow the steering wheel 39, and as best illustrated :in-lilig. 2, thesteer-ing gear supports a shiftdever :32 through which by suitablemanipulation the rshif-ta'ble position-of-.a pair of movable links 34and 35, best shown in Fig. 2, may be selectively controlled :inaccordance with conventional practice. :In the particular case shown thelinks 3.4 and .36 :are connected respectively to bell cra'nks :38 and 4mwhich in turn are connected by rods '40 :and -'42,

respectively, to the transmission control levers .24

and 26', respectively, the rods M1 and preferably incorporating fluidpressure operating mechanism in accordance with the present inventionand which will hereafter be more fully-explained.

Suitably pivotally supported by the frame it below the steering wheel 30is a control pedal -'44 provided with the usual pedal pad adjacent itsupper end. Also pivotally supported adjacent tively connected to amaster brake cylinder 'indicated generally at 54 and which may beassumed to be suitably supported in fixed relation with respect to theframe Ill. Except for the modifications hereinafter described the masterbrake cylinder 54 may be considered to be of conventional constructionand operation and suitably connected to individual wheel brake cylinders(not shown) of conventional construction mounted in cooperative relationwith respect to the wheels [2 and I4.

In order to effect engagement or dis-engagement of the clutch throughthe clutch pedal 44, there is mounted on the frame In of the vehicleforwardly of the pedal 44 a master cylinder 56 which may be generally ofa construction similar to the master cylinders conventionally employedin connection with hydraulic braking systems for motor vehicles butpreferably including a cylinder and piston of relatively largerdiameter. The master cylinder is provided with a piston 58 reciprocabletherein, the piston 53 being connected by its rod 60 to the clutch pedal44 so as to be actuated thereby simultaneously therewith. It might benoted that in the particular construction of the master cylinder shown afluid reservoir 62 is formed integrally with the master cylinder and apassage 84, which may be of relatively large dimension, is constantlyopen be-' tween the reservoir 62 and that end of the cylinder 56 abovethe piston 58, while a smaller passage 66 interconnects the cylinder 56with the' housing It and slightly in advance thereof a cyl-' inder 10 islocated and both ends thereof are closed. The cylinder 18' is shownrelatively enlarged in Fig. 2 to more clearly illustrate details of theassembly of which it forms a part. Within the cylinder H3 is a pistonindicated generally at '12 provided with a piston rod 14 slidably'projecting from the forward end of the cylinder 10- and pivotallyconnected to a suitable support'lfi fixed with respect to the frame 10or to the power plant generally as may be found desirable. The rear endof the cylinder in has fixed thereto a rod 18, the rear end of which ispivotally con nected to the free end of the clutch operating arm 22.Thus, the cylinder HI is supported between the rods 74 and T8 formovement longitudinally of the rod 74. The rear end of the cylinder 10is connected by a flexible tube 80 with the discharge end of thecylinder 56 so that when the pedal 44 is depressed, thus causingmovement of the piston 58 downwardly or forwardly in the cylinder 56,fluid displaced from the cylinder 56 will flow through the tube 80 tothe space between the rear end of the cylinder 10 and the rear face ofthe piston 12 and will cause the cylinder l and rod l8 to moverearwardly and thus turn the control lever 22 in a direction to causedisengagement of the clutch as will be readily understood. As will beappreciated because of this construction and the ability to use flexibletubes such as the tube 80, the location of the control pedal 44 withrespect to the power plant of the motor vehicle is unimportant and,accordingly, the construction particularly adapts itself to use in motorvehicles of the rear engine type such as shown.

Where it is desired to also employ displacement of liquid from thecylinder 56 to effect actuation of the brakes of the vehicle or to maintain the brakes of the vehicle applied once such brakes are appliedthrough the usual brake pedal 48, the following additional features maybe added to the construction thus far described to obtain such results.The cylinder I0 is provided with a port or passage 82 through a sidewall thereof to which a flexible tube 84 is connected. As will beunderstood from an inspection of Fig. 2 the port or passage 82 islocated at a position longitudinally of the cylinder 10 such as tubeclosed by the piston 12 when the latter is in its inoperative positionbut which will be exposed to the fluid under pressure in the righthandend of the cylinder 70, as viewed in Fig. 2, after the cylinder 7!) hasmoved a predetermined distance to the right, this distance preferablybeing such as to effect an initial dis-engaging action of the clutch ofthe vehicle. To aid in the proper control of the point of operation ofthecylinder 18 at which the port or passage 82 will be uncovered by thepiston, the piston 12 is preferably provided with a pair of cup-shapedsealing gaskets 85 the free marginal edge portions of which face in thehand end of the cylinder 10, thus insuring a well defined line ofopening of the port or passage 82 1 during movement of the cylinder 10and assuring sufficient sealing of the port or passage 82 againstleakage from the righthand end of the cylinder 10 when such port orpassage is covered by the:

piston 12.

In order to enable the wheel brakes of the vehicle to be selectivelyoperated either through operation of the pedal 44 or the pedal 48, acontrol valve inclicated generally at 86 in Fig. 2 is provided. Thedischarge line 88 from the master' brake cylinder 54 is connected intothe control valve'86 as is the tube 84 from the cylinder 10,

the control valve being provided with a third 9| is conventionallylocated between the ends of a pair of brake shoes Bid which operatewithin the brake drum Bib. As illustrated in Fig. 6,'

the control valve 86 includes a housing 92 provided with a cylindricalbore in which a cylinj drical valve member 94 is rotatably received insealing relation with respect to the interior walls thereof. The tubes84, 88, and 90 connect through the walls of th housing 92 and are'op'ento the surface of the valve member 94 therein. The valve member 94 isprovided with three radially directed passages 96, 98, and I08,corresponding with the tubes 84, 83, and 90, and all con-"l necte'dtogether adjacent the center of the valve member 94. The diameter of thepassages 96. 98, and N18 are preferably approximately equivalent to thepassages in the corresponding tubes 84, 88, and 90 with the exceptionthat the outer end of the passage I0!) is circumferentially enlarged'asat I82 for a purpose which will hereinafter be more thoroughlyunderstood.

The angular arrangement of the passages 96,

98, and I08 is such that when the passage 96"is aligned with the tube84, passage 98 is out of alignment with the tube 88, and when thepassage 1 98 is in alignment with the tube 88 then the passage 96 is outof alignment with the tube 84, the

passage led through its enlargement Hi2 being constantly open to thetubes 90 regardless of whether the passage 96 or the passage 98 isaligned with its corresponding tubes 84 andllfl,

respectively. Consequently when the valve member 94 is in the rotatableposition illustrated in" Fig. 6 the tube 84 is cut out from effectivecommunication with the tube 98 while the tube 88 and consequently themaster cylinder 54 is in' open communication with the tube 90. On theother hand if the valve member 94 is rotated to 1 bring the passage 96into alignment with' the 4 tube 84, then the master cylinder 54 is cutoff i from communication with the tube 90 and the placed in open 'com-90 as soon as the cyl inder 1D has moved su'fiiciently to the right, asviewed in Fig. 2, on the piston 12 to uncover the Thus by moving thevalve 94 the application or" the wheel brakes may b'esele'c tivelycontrolled through either depression of the pedal 44 or depression ofthe pedal 48, but only master cylinder 56 will be munication with thetube port or passage 82.

through one of them at a time.

direction of the pressure built up in the rightwith the valve member 94.The free end of the arm I04 is suitably connected and preferably througha lost motion connection with a control button or knob I06 mounted onthe instrument panel I08 of the motor vehicle within easy reach of thevehicle operator, or at some other position convenient to the vehicleoperator. The connection shown by way of illustration comprises a Bowdenwire indicated generally at H and the free end of the operating wire II2of which is slidably connected with the free end of the arm I04 and isprovided with an enlargement II4 lying below the arm I04. As will beappreciated with this form of construction if the knob I06 is pulled,the wire II2 of the Bowden wire IIO will be pulled upwardly and the stopII4 acting on the arm I04 will cause it to be rotated in a clockwisedirection of rotation as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6. A suitabletension spring such as H6 is preferably provided for constantly urgingthe arm I04 towards its limit of movement in a counterclockwisedirection of rotation, which is that illustrated in Fig. 6, and in whichthe master cylinder 54 is in open communication with the tube 90.

Instead of the Bowden wire for the valve 85 above described, a differenttype of control may be employed if desired, or it may be employed inconjunction with and in addition to the Bowden wire control NB. Thiscontrol which is also illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a bell crankmember II8 pivotally mounted on the upper end of the clutch controlpedal 44 with one end thereof arranged immediately above the upper edgeof the pedal pad 46 as shown. The other end of the bell crank H8 isshown connected by a wire or other control member I with a slottedmember I22 engaging a pin I24 carried by the free end of the arm I04 ofthe valve 86. The relation of the parts is such that the pin, I24normally lies at the lower extremity of the slot in the member I22 whenthe valve 86 is in its normal operative position illustrated in Fig. 6.The operator of the vehicle, however, by tipping the toe of his footforwardly about the upper edge of the pedal pad 46 may press against thebell crank H8 and thereby actuate the slotted member I 24 upwardlythereby causing the arm I04 and consequently the valve member 84 to beturned in a clockwise direction of rotation to cut the master cylinder54 off from the tube 90 and to communicate the tube 84 with the tube 90.As will be observed the relation of the two separate controls describedfor the value 86, that is through the control button I06 and through thebell crank I I8, is such as to permit the valves to be controlledthrough either one or the other of these members Without interferencefrom one or the other.

The use of the bell crank control for the valve 86 thus described isparticularly convenient in that the operator of the vehicle by tippingthe toe of his foot forwardly with respect to the upper edge of thepedal pad 46 may by simply pressing down on the pedal pad 46simultaneously throw out the clutch of the vehicle and at the same timeeffect application of the brakes of the vehicle, thus leaving his otherfoot free to operate the starter or the accelerator of the vehicle andenabling him to release the brakes of the vehicle when desired by simplytipping his foot backwardly on the clutch pedal 46 and withoutnecessitating immediate reengagement of the clutch. At the same time itwill be understood that the operator of the vehicle may'press down thepedal 44 to throw out the clutch, and press down on the pedal 48 toapply the brakes of the vehicle, and then after the brakes are firmlyset, by tipping the toe of his foot on the pedal pad 46 forwardly tocut-ofi the master brake cylinder 54 and 'connect the brakes to themaster brake cylinder 56, take his foot off of the brake pedal 48without relieving the brakes. It goes without saying that by suitableoperation of the control button I06 the same results may be obtainedthrough force applied through the operators hands rather-than bymovement of the bell crank I I8 through movement of th operators foot.

With the construction thus far described there is a possibility, byshifting the valve 66 when both the clutch and brake pedals aredepressed, to

cause a transfer of fluid between the master cylinder 54 for the brakingsystem and the master cylinder 56 actuated by the clutch pedal 44. Inorder to guard against impoverishing either one system or the other offluid through such an occurrence, the following mechanism is provided. Asupply tank I38 serving as a liquid reservoir for both the mastercylinders 54 and 56 is provided on the vehicle and preferably at asufiicient height above the various liquid circuits as to perunit it tobe constantly open to the atomsphere through a suitable vent or thelike. The reservoirs for both the master cylinder 54 and master cylinder56 are closed and are connected by tubes I32 and I34, respectively, withthe supply tank. By employing the reservoir I30, the separate reservoirson the master cylinders 54 and 56 may be eliminated entirely if desired,providing the tubes I32 and I34, respectively, are arranged in opencommunication with the openings shown between the individual reservoirsand the interiors or bores of these master cylinders.

It will be appreciated that by the use of the reservoir I30 any excessliquid fed into one master cylinder will escape therefrom into the tankI30 and likewise any deficiency occurring in either of the mastercylinders will be replaced by liquid from the reservoir I30.

In accordance with a further phase of the present invention andregardless of whether the braking system of the vehicle may be appliedor held in applied position through actuation of the clutch pedal 44,means may be provided for effecting shifting of the transmission of thevehicle through pressure built up on the liquid in the master cylinder55 through depression of the clutch pedal 44. In order to effect thiresult. the rods 40 and 42 interconnecting the transmission shift levers24 and 26, respectively, with the control lever 32 below the steeringwheel 30 are each provided with a piston I40 thereon as indicated inFig. 2, and each consists of two sections having a lost motionconnection with each other through the piston I40 as will hereinafter bedescribed. Slidably mounted upon each rod 40, 42 in surrounding relationwith respect to each of the pistons I40 is a cylinder I42 suitably heldagainst axial movement but allowed to float laterally of its axis bymeans of a suitable bracket I44 pivotally secured thereto and suitablymounted upon the vehicle frame I0. The pistons I40 and their cylinderI42 are identical and consequently the description of one will sufiiccfor the description of both and, accordingly, it will be assumed thatthe upper pistcn and cylinder assembly shown in Fig. 2 will be the onechosen for the description of both.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and particularly Fig. 4, it will benoted that the piston I40 is provided on each axial face thereof with anoutwardly opening cup-shaped sealing washer I46 formed from leather orother suitable flexible material and secured in place against thecorresponding axial face of the piston by mean of a metal plate or ringI 48 suitably fixed to the piston I40. The piston I40, sealing rings I46and clamping rings I48 are provided with central axial bore I50 in whichis a fixed cylindrical bearing bushing 'or sleeve I52. Axially slidablyreceived in the bore of the sleeve I52 and suitably held againstrotational movement therein is a valve member I54 having an annularoutwardly directed flange I58 at its righthand end which limits movementof the valve I54 to the left as viewed in Fig. 4, and a nut member I56at the opposite end also serving as an outwardly annular directed flangeon the valve member I54 which cooperates with the corresponding end ofthe sleeve I52 to limit movement of the valve. member I 54 to the rightas viewed in Fig. 4. The flange I 56 and the nut member I58 permit amaterial but limited amount of axial movement of the valve I54 in thebushing I52.

A portion of the rod 40 immediately to the left of the piston I40, asviewed in the figures and indicated at 40a, is of hollow or tubularconstruction and its righthand end is fixed to the left hand end of thevalve I54 by means of a nut I58. Adjacent the lefthand end the tube 40ais provided with a connection I60 which, as illustrated in Fig. 2, isconnected to a flexible tube I62. A short length of the rod 40immediately to the right of the piston I40, as viewed in the figures,and indicated at 40b, is also of tubular construction and its forward orlefthand end is sealed and fixed to the bottom wall of a cup-shapedmember I64 secured and sealed to the rear or righthand of the piston I40by means of screws I66, the opening in the cupshaped member being of asuificient size to freely receive the corresponding end of the valve I54therein. The righthand end of the tube 40b at a point outwardly of thecylinder I42 is provided with a connection I68 by means of which it isinteriorly connected to a flexible tube or,

hose I10. It will thus be observed that the tube 40a has a relativeaxial movement with respect to the tube 40b equal to the amount ofrelative axial movement of the valve member I54 in the sleeve I52.

As best illustrated in Fig. 2, the tube I for each of the cylinders I42is connected into the reservoir I30 and the tubes I62 for both thecylinders I 40 are connected together and extend to a port I12 in thecylinder 10 preferably in transverse alignment with the port 82 therein.Consequently the tubes I62 are normally closed by the piston 12 when theclutch pedal 44 is in its normal inoperative position. As previouslyexplained the position of the ports 8Z'and I12 in the cylinder 10 aresuch that when the pedal 44 is depressed, axial displacement of thecylinder 10 with respect to the piston 12 is caused to a sufiicientextent to either partially or fully disengage the clutch of the vehicleand in any event the resistance to movement of the clutch,

brakes and/or transmission is so arranged, that disengagement of theclutch will always precede application of the brakes or shifting of thetransmission when actuated through the master cylinder 56, andre-engagement of the clutch, upon release of pressure on the pedal 44,will always follow release of the brakes or completion of thetransmission shifting operation.

This provides the lost motion in each of the rods 40 previouslymentioned.

Referring again to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and particularly to Fig. 4, it willbe noted that the tube 40a is interiorly open to a passage I16 locatedaxially within the valve I54. The valve I 54 is' axially spaced radiallydirected passages I86. and I88, respectively, also passing through thebushing I52, each connected by an axially parallel passage I90 and I92,respectively, with the corresponding axial face of the piston I40,

through the corresponding sealing ring I46 and clamping ring I48. Thepassages I86 and I88 are spaced axially of the piston I 46 a distanceless than the axial spacing of the passages I18 and I in the valve I54and by such distance that when either the passage I18 is aligned withthe passage I86 or the passage I80 is aligned with the passage I88 theother of the passages I86 or I88 lies in open communication with theannular groove I82.

When the valve I54 is at one extremity of its relatively movableposition in the piston I40, illustrated at its extreme lefthand positionof movement in Fig. 4, the interior of the tube 40a is communicatedthrough the bore I16 and passages I 80, I88, and I92 with the interiorof the cylinder I42 on the righthand side of the piston I40 and theinterior of the cylinder'I42 on the lefthand side of the piston I40 iscommunicated through the passages I90, I86, I82, and I84 and through theinterior of the cupshaped member I64 with the interior of the tube 40b.Under such conditions if the clutch pedal 44 is depressed, liquid in themaster cylinder 56 will be displaced through the tube 88 to the cylinder10 and being exerted under pressure in the cylinder 10 will cause thelatter to move to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 a sulficient distance todisengage the clutch of the vehicle, and then to uncover the port I12which will permit such liquid under pressure to flow up through the tubeI62 and into the tube 4011, thus exerting a sufficient amount ofpressure on the righthand side of the piston I40 to move the piston I40and consequently that section of the rod 40 to the right of the pistonI40 in Fig. 4, including the section 40b, to the left as viewed in thefigures, the liquid displaced from the lefthand end of the cylinder I42flowing out through the tube 40b and flexible tube I18 back to thereservoir I30. The piston I40, being directly and positively connectedto the transmission shift lever 24, positively causes an equivalentmovement thereof. However if the lefthand section of the tube 40including the section 4011, is not moved from the initial positionillustrated in Fig. 4, then as the piston I40 moves to the left asviewed in the figures, such movement will act to close ofi the passageI80 from the pass age I88 and consequently as soon as these passages aremoved out of alignment with each other, further movement of the: pistonI40 will cease. vIn order that movement of piston I40 to the left underthe conditions described will continue, it

'will be necessary for the operator to urge the control member 32 belowthe steering wheel 30 in a direction constantly tending to pull thelefthand section of the rod 40, including the tube 40a, to the left asviewed in Fig. 2 so as limit illustrated in Fig. 4, then under suchcircumstances the passages I18 and I86 will be aligned with each otherand under the conditions assumed liquid under pressure will flow intothe lefthand end of the cylinder I42 and the passage I80 and annulargroove I82 being aligned i under such circumstances, liquid will bedisplaced from the righthand end of the cylinder I42 out through thetubes 40?) back to the reservoir I38, and the reverse movement of thepiston I40 and rod 40 will occur. When the valve I54 is in itsintermediate position of movement in opposite directions in the pistonI40, the annular groove I82 is of insumcient length axially of thepiston to bridge both passages I86 and I88, and the surface of the valvebetween the passage I82 and the passages I18 and I80 will bridge theinner ends of the passages I86 and- I88 so as to maintain the piston'I40 in a neutral position and prevent the flow of any fluid to or fromthe cylinder I42. It will also be appreciated that the operator of thevehicle, through suitable and conventional manipulation of the gearshift lever 32, may select which piston I40 is to be operated and thedirection of operation thereof by the pressure produced in the cylinder56 upon depression of the pedal 44.

From the above, it will be understood that the operator of the Vehicle,by suitably manipulating the control lever 32 and presssing on theclutch pedal 44, is enabled to first disengage the clutch of the vehicleand then effect shifting of the transmission to any speed selected, theonly effort required by the operator through his hands being asufficient effort to shift the valve I54 in the piston I48 and theeffort appliedb'y the operator through the master cylinder '56furnishing the actual -force required to shift the transmission. It willalso be appreciated that the transmission may be shifted withoutdepressing the pedal 44 as in such case, in the absence of pressurebeing exerted upon the pistons I40, as soon as the valve I54 has movedin the piston I40 to one extremity of its shiftable position therein,the force exerted through the valve against the piston will cause thepiston to be shifted an amount sufficient to effect shifting of thetransmission entirely-by manual force applied through the control handle32. This feature provides a more or less emergency means of insuringcontrol of the transmission should the pressure supplied to the mastercylinder 56 by depression of the foot pedal 44 fail for any reason orother.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that by thepractices of the present invention means are provided whereby theoperator of a motor vehicle, by simply depressing the clutch controlpedal, is enabled not only to disengage the clutch 'ofthe vehicle butmay further by such movement obtain power to effect application of thebrakes of the vehicle, shifting of the transmission of the vehicle, orboth, with all of the above described and other attendant advantages.

Particularly in vehicles of larger sizes, the added work accomplishedduring depression of the clutch control pedal may make it desirable toemploy some suitable type of booster device for the clutch control pedalto relieve the operator of a large part of the Work which wouldotherwise be required in depressing the clutch pedal. While any suitabletype of booster mechanism may be employed for this purpose there isillustrated in Figs. '7 and 8, merely by the way of illustration, onesuitable type that forms the subject-matter of my Letters Patent of theUnited States for improvements in Brake operating mechanism No.2,250,033, issued July 21, 1941. As illustrated in Fig. '7 this boostermechanism includes a power element having a movable wall illustrated asa bellows 280 supported at one end by a bracket 202 mounted on the dash284 of the motor vehicle. The opposite or movable end of the bellows isconnected by a cable 206 which passes under a pulley 208 with a controldevice mounted on the pedal pad 46 and including a control pedal 2I8 andcontrol valve 2I2. One side of the valve 2I2 is connected by a flexibletube 2 with the intake manifold 2I6 of the engine I6 which drives thevehicle and which is shown in Fig. 1. The other side of the valve 2I2 isconnected by a flexible tube 220 with the bellows 200.

Referring now to Fig. 8 which illustrates the control device for thebellows 200 in greater detail, it willbe noted that the control pedal2I0 is pivoted at 222 upon a base or supporting member 224 fixed to theface of the pedal pad 4611 by means of a bolt 226 and nut 228. A doublearmed lever 230 is pivoted at 232 between its ends to the head of thebolt 226, one end of the lever 230 bearing against the inner face of thecontrol pedal '2I0 in spaced relation from the axis of the pivot pin 222and the cable 206 is connected to the opposite end of the lever 230 bymeans of a ball joint 234. The valve 2 I 2 includes a rotatable valveelement 236 connected by a link 238 with the free end of the controlpedal 2 I0. The pull of the bellows 200 acting through the cable 206normally tends to draw the upper end-of the lever 230 forwardly andpress the lower end thereof rearwardly, thus tending to move the controlpedal 2I0 to a position in which the valve element 236 will serve tocut-off communication between the intake manifold H6 and the bellows 200and open the interior of the bellows 208 to the atmosphere. controlpedal 2I0 is pressed downwardly or forwardly the valve element 236 ismoved first to cut-01f the interior of the bellows 200 from theatmosphere and then tocon'nect it to the interior of the intake manifoldN6, the consequent tendency to contract the bellows 200 acting throughthe cable 206 to move the clutch pedal 44a. in a clutch disengagingdirection. If after initial o'pera'tionof the valve 2 I2 by the operatorpressing the upper end of the control pedal 2 10 forwardly, the movementof the operators foot-inn forwardly direction is arrested, the continuedinward movement of the clutch pedal in a clutch dis-engaging directionwill cause the control pedal 21-0 to rotate relatively in aclockwisedirection and cause the valve member 236 to be moved to cut-offcommunication between the "intake manifold and the bellows, thusarresting When the upper end of the

